by: Laura VallentinPosted on:

Everything you need to know about BCAAs (Branched-chain amino acids)

What is BCAA?

BCAA is an abbreviation of branched-chain amino acids. The human body consists of 30 amino acids of which 12 are non-essential amino acids, meaning that the body can form them itself. The remaining 8 are essential amino acids, so these cannot be produced by the body itself and must therefore be supplied to the body from the outside. Most people who train or do competitive sports often want to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. And here BCAA can be a helping hand. Muscle is made up of proteins, and protein is made up of amino acids. You can therefore say that amino acids form the building blocks of protein.

The advantage of BCAA is that, unlike regular protein powder, BCAA does not have to be broken down in the liver first. That is why BCAA is a faster protein source for the muscles. BCAA has become a widely used dietary supplement among people who exercise. This is because BCAA is quickly and easily broken down in the body. The amino acids enter the bloodstream faster, and the body therefore does not have to process them to the same extent as if you drank a protein shake. By consuming BCAA, it is also easier to stimulate new muscle building, improve your recovery and prevent muscle cells from breaking down.

The benefits of BCAA

If you eat enough protein every day (1-1.5 grams per kg of body weight) including in the meals before and after training, then you will probably not experience any further progress with BCAA. If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, you may experience these benefits from BCAAs:

  • Increased muscle protein synthesis
  • Increased muscle growth over time
  • Reduced fatigue (for the untrained)
  • Lowers the amount of tryptophan
  • Reduced exercise-induced muscle breakdown

Someone with a twinkle in their eye calls BCAA expensive juice – something you primarily drink for the taste, but of course that’s not entirely correct, as there are branched amino acids in it. However, they are not effective if you meet your protein need.

The advantage of the pure amino acids in BCAA compared to protein powder is especially the reduced calorie content. You get a concentrated protein content, where leucine has proven beneficial for protein synthesis. Several studies have shown that BCAA produce less nitrogen excretion, which suggests that muscle breakdown is lower.

It can be an advantage – especially during the cut, where you consume fewer calories daily. BCAA is therefore particularly relevant if you must go far into a caloric deficit and at the same time need a lot of protein, in order to maintain as much muscle mass as possible when you cut down.

When to take BCAA?

The best time to consume BCAA, or branched chain amino acids, is right before training. Some choose to take it during exercise, and others choose to consume it with their post-workout protein shake right after exercise, but the most optimal time is right before exercise. This ensures that there is plenty of branched-chain amino acids in the bloodstream throughout the training session, and then you get a dose of BCAA through your post-workout protein shake, as most types of protein powders also contain large amounts of branched-chain amino acids. That is why BCAA is also a dietary supplement which strictly speaking, can be dispensed with if you already eat large amounts of protein and supplement with for example whey protein powder. If you want to optimize your diet and training, it can be a good idea to consume BCAA right before training.

Which BCAA?

BCAA comes in many different flavors, so you can find your favorite. In my opinion sour green apple, strawberry lemonade and tropical punch are some of the best tasting BCAA supplement flavors out there. Drink it during training and preferably throughout the day. Mix 1-2 scoops of BCAA with water and shake until mixed. The amount of water depends on how strong a flavor you want. Some of the best BCAA products is mixed in a ration called 2:1:1 (I-leucine, L-valine, and L-isoleucine) these three amino acids are essential for muscle building and this ration is the most optimal amino acid distribution.

In addition, it contains almost no carbohydrates and is low in kcal content. You cannot consume too much BCAA. The body itself knows how much it needs, and therefore it excretes the amino acids that it cannot absorb. The excess amino acids are either burned in the body system or converted into fat. It is therefore not dangerous to consume too many amino acids, you just have to use them carefully like any other dietary supplement.

 

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